Weekday Email to Members and Friends – 2020-09-04
Friday 4 September 2020
Members and Friends of
First Presbyterian Church
Champaign, Illinois
Dear Friends,
Happy Birthday to our pastor friend Dale Tutje! He’s 93 today! O, Happy Day!
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When I think of the teachers who most nurtured me in my education at all levels, at first blush there are dozens that stand out (Harriet Chapel, Jim Wilson, David Bartlett, Sib Towner). When I think more deeply, more stand out (Mrs. King, Mrs. Parish, Donald Dawe). When I think grade by grade and semester by semester, language by language, subject by subject, more step forward (Manuel Bejar, Ray Jones, Stanley Mitchem). Some great teachers were never my teachers: Rev. Louie V. Andrews, John Warren, Rick Hardwick, Les Grady, Roger Gravatt, Billy Ricketts, Mark Stanley, Jon Willinger, Jim Burrows, Paul Rundberg, Jan Hottinga. The list goes on. Praise God, the list goes on.
Every teacher made a positive difference—a few by negative example, but most because of some special gift they brought to me and my peers. How grateful I am. What would I have been without them?
The school year has begun and our students and teachers are digging in for a new year. They’ve strapped on their wings and are ready to fly. This won’t be the easiest year during pandemic but that’s why we’re all prayer harder than ever, and we just might find other ways to lend our caring support. Tell me about the teachers who most influenced you.
I’ve told you this story before: a king wanted to have a man or woman represent the kingdom at a big, world event. He called upon the people of his land to come present their case so he could pick the worthiest of representatives. Astronauts, athletes, scholars, great leaders, brave servants, generals, chefs, and others all came forward. These were the most acclaimed people of the land. Finally, a little old woman came forward. The king asked her, given all the stellar applicants who came before her, why he should chose her. Humbly she said, “I was their fourth grade teacher.”
This is what Bob Kirby wrote about a teacher who influenced him: My high school sophomore English teacher was Ruth Lichenstein. She told me, “Robert, you can succeed at any university you choose and then you can do anything you want to do.” For a timid teenager in a small school in a small town these were big words. I have never forgotten them or Ms. Lichenstein.
Who are the teachers you’ll never forget? Let me hear from you.
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Sad news: I lost about 25 important emails this week. One of them might have been yours. If you wrote me and I’ve not written back, please be in touch. It’s maddening to recreate lost mail from memory.
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I’ve preached about 500 more times on “love” than I have on “sin.” It’s because of sin, however, that one needs to talk all the time about love. Tune in on Sunday as I talk about, you guessed it, love. I’ll also make some very important observations about pizza, meatloaf, Republicans, and Democrats.
Pay attention to God’s activity in the world around you.
Be amazed.
Tell somebody.
PEACE,
Matt Matthews
864.386.9138
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PHOTO Challenge!
From your Nurture Team — Congrats to Judi Geistlinger for being the first — of MANY — to guess last Friday’s photo was of Matt Matthews!
Here’s this week’s photo.
Visit http://fb.com/groups/
We are getting low on photos, so please join in the fun! We would like you to select a photo from your younger years (grade school, high school or early adulthood). Photos need not be professional. Candid shots are welcome. Please send your photos to photos@
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Lots of music today. We all need more songs than usual. Sing out. Sing loud.
The Storm is passing over
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Bluegrass masters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Jesus can you help me now?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The writers are Jack Rhodes and Joe “Red” Hayes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
A song for pandemic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
A Friday song of thanks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
